cornerofmadness | Entries tagged with conferences

So I managed to drag my ass out of bed and down to the bus by quarter to 7 in the morning (crying all the way and I was not alone). The Pittsburgh Panthers have been a big part of the family life (brother, uncles, cousins went there) but I have NOT been on campus hard core since the 1980s when my bff went there. (she started college with me but transferred to their drama department).

First observation - I'm no longer 20.

Second observation - Pitt is hampered by its age and its urban setting. I do NOT know how someone with accessibility issues worse than mine can come here. They must have to go blocks out of their way. So many steps. So many.

Third observation - William Penn Union is a gorgeous (and historic landmark so you can't actually change this) I tried to take a picture yesterday. Need to try again tomorrow. Breakfast there was good, so was lunch

Fourth observation - yeah every room is a theater style (not surprising) but almost no place for wheelchairs in several of them. And oh no bathroom on the first floor so you have to go up or down and there was not one working sink. Our Hosts went ballistic only be told 'shrug, it's a holiday weekend, what do you want us to do?'

Fifth observation - I have new ideas to go home with so it was a productive day. One game I want to adapt is the card games, basically using known games to hone knowledge (like the memory game) and the how to interview for med school/PA/PT etc (I used to do this for our students but it's been several years and this guy is on the admittant committee for Boston Med) and the unexpected one I loved was the guy getting people to come to his office hours by once a week making it fun, come color, come play with sidewalk chalk, come play games and just TALK. I will definitely try that.

My boo-boo toe started killing me after lunch (all those fucking stairs). It was bleeding and the sock was stuck to it and throbbing like a tooth ache. You have to understand this toe is neuropathic which means I can barely feel it so to have this much pain it's hurt worse than I thought. Whee.

Tonight's dinner was SO disappointing. I had been saving up Christos' Med. Grille for tonight (it's famous here) but when I logged into DoorDash it was closed for the holidays. NOOOOO! I found a ramen place that is getting written up. It wasn't bad. In fact it was very tasty (including the matcha pudding with sweet red beans) BUT nothing was in my soup. I had opted for extra noodles and a marinated egg but the things that were meant to come with the soup (the tofu, the cabbage and basil) were NOT in it.. If I hadn't wanted those noodles/egg I'd have been given a bowl of broth.... I am learning after 3 days in a row 3 different restaurants, they DO NOT seem to take much care of what is boxed up for this

At least the volleyball tournament girls are quiet tonight.

Current Mood: drained
Current Music: NCIS

I didn't get much sleep and that cough medicine really knocked me for a loop (or something did. I was dizzy all day) I dropped something on my toe and cut it open in less than 5 minutes of being awake which set the tone of the day.

That said it was good. I didn't hang out much in the vendors room and breakfast was me and another local Pittsburgh guy (he teaches at the host school U of Pitt) talking up all the cool things to do. The two talks I got to go to today were good especially the latter one (I did skip the long business meeting today I just wasn't up to it) The latter was about diversity and inclusivity but on a different wavelength than the talks usually go. It was more about the faculty setting the tone (and from what she was saying I've been doing a lot of things right) You know that old chestnut of look to your left, look to your right, two of them won't be here at the end of this class. She talked about how things like that reenforce negative self thought, especially in at risk students.

My syllabus for example states right in it that yes this is hard but instead of talking failure rates etc I say here are some tools to help. I have some quote or two in there but she was talking about Einstein and I was reminded of these two statements by him Failure is success in progress and A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. and might put them in there somewhere. Even on an exam where a student has failed but wrote me a little note as to why, I write them back with encouragement. I've been the student who was told I'd never amount to anything (9th grade lit teacher) or that I didn't belong there (4-6th grade science teacher) That is never going to be me and how I handle class. Now I'm more determined to be fair

I did cut out a little early and walked across to the Fort Pitt museum and toured it. Never been there or to the block house next to it, the only part of the original fort from the 1700s left. I did not know that William Penn (for whom PA is name) was a Quaker (that part I knew) and thought it was part of his religion to live in peace with the indigenous people and share with them. Too bad the Quakers didn't hold out better.

Nor did I know some of the last vestiges of the local tribes lost their land near the PA/NY border to build the kinzua dam, that their homes were burned to the ground when the kids were in school and their parents at work, some 600 displaced families. TWO years before I was born. TWO! Jesus.

If nothing else i know how the seeds of two stories, though I did have one story published along the lines of the new idea, what if the Quakers held power. Imagine it, a group that believed in sharing, peaceful cohabitiation and in my sabbatical research it was almost always a Quaker supporting the women doctors because they believe in equality in education (though not, I think it true equality but certainly heads and shoulders above others in that time)

I also won plushie spinal column today at the raffle and today's door dash was siam thai, pad kee mow that was delicious (but late, ah Pittsburgh traffic especially on a game night)

I have friday's fannish recs here for fannish 50 (and then off to bed because OMG I have to be on the bus by 7 AM. Shoot me) Speaking of which I really need to get the name/email of the young prof from TN who knew the steam company I got my dress from and stopped me today when she saw my Huskerdust charm so we could coo about them and Helluva Boss (and she likes witchcore)

No Excuse Torchwood

Nary a Cause for Tears "Mr Rowl" - D. K. Broster

To: 61A Charrington Gardens Dial M for Murder

Initial Diagnosis Harry Potter

Toxic Torchwood

Just So The Murderbot Diaries

What the Bones Remember NCIS

I mean that's probably progress, right? The Murderbot Diaries

And Then You Kissed Me Real Steel

Loverboy The Murderbot Diaries

A Long Awaited Prize Stargate Atlantis

Remarkably, Irreversibly, and Cosmically Intertwined Hazbin Hotel

The Consultant 镇魂 | Guardian

Showtime Teen Wolf

Unexpected Renovations Stargate SG-1

The Offer 镇魂 | Guardian

For As Long As He Would Let Him Hazbin Hotel

A Brilliant Mind Torchwood

Turning a Page on the Calendar 911

More than a Birthday Celebration Stargate Atlantis

Your Turn Now Hazbin Hotel

Living in Interesting Times Teen Wolf

Current Mood: sick
Current Music: Doctor Strange

That's how I felt today strolling around in my science cat dress (from svaha) and cat sketchers. People LOVED my dress (me too). But I'm exhausted. This day was 10 days long. That said, it's a good first day of the conference. I found a product I'm in love with, a sheet with the systems printed on that you can lay over a dummy and get a real feel for the anatomy and it was cheap (especially sandwiched in between VR lab stuff that's 100K +)

I did have to take more breaks than usual (and very thankful I'm at the hotel. 10 years ago I would have stayed at a boutique hotel that made me happy and walk a few blocks. Now I want to be able to run to my room whenever I need to.

I had my presentation today. It was very interesting. Only 4 men came up to talk to me. Women on the other hand were all around me, thrilled by the topic (women doctors/women medical schools) and one came up with her poster for a different woman scientist that no one talks about and showed it to me on her phone. Another is a veteran telling me she's friends with the female thunderbird pilot who was just removed from the DOJs website thanks to Trump and how they're afraid they won't even be allowed to have their 50 anniversary of something women in the military (can't remember what) They understand the need to preserve this history at a time when it's actively being erased.

A younger woman stopped in (obviously a student) who was absolutely taken with the poster and my name (hers is one letter different but very different in pronounciation of the vowels). Later, an Armenian professor stopped in to tell me his daughter would love this and I asked if that was the young woman I was talking with. He was so excited I remembered her and then proceeded to tell me how his mother would have liked this presentation because she had wanted to be a doctor but back in the 50s wasn't allowed to go to school in Iraqi (because her father didn't want her to get her head turned by a non-Armenian)

I didn't get the foot traffic as some posters because it wasn't as applicable to teaching as others but I had women dragging over other women to see my work. That makes it worth it

The vendors were paying for cocktails tonight (I got an extra ticket from the imprinted sheet vendor because she liked me) and holy crap the hotel was milking it. My gin and tonics were literally just tumblers filled with gin and a whisper of tonic. I was buzzed by the time I got back up here and made bad doordash decisions. Okay not bad but average, so very very average. Disappointing. Hopefully tomorrow shall be better. I need to figure out who is open on Sundays because not all of them are.

Oh and I looked up what my cough medicine to see how it works and it's made from insect venom that numbs your lung's carina (the center of cough reflexes) and your throat. Well then. I didn't have bug venom on my bingo card

Forgot to mention yesterday i knocked yet another dexcom off early. Sigh. I knew it was getting loose so I brought another one but these are like 300$ each so if they keep falling off early it's going to be a problem.

Comm rec thursday. Here's two. a new Buffyverse one

buffyverseficfinder and the

sunshine_revival which is taking over for the old sunshine challenge

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Kindred Spirits

It's not covid or flu. The bad news is it's viral so here are some heavy cough suppressants, bye bye. I got a lot worse around 5 this morning so I went to the urgent care and then on to the hotel.

She was like you want to wait a half hour for the verdict on covid/flu? Yes because you want to give me tamiflu/whatever that drug is for covid if it is. I'm going downtown Pittsburgh which is a nightmare (even though it's like 10 miles away it takes a halfhour to get there because you have 4 lanes of traffic going thru a 2 lane tunnel that spits you out on a 4 lane bridge with less than 500 yards to make your choice and god help you if you don't know where your exit is because Pittsburgh is on a triangle of land and you WILL have to go around for the next 20 minutes trying to get to the damn place you missed.

While I was in the urgent care a huge storm popped up, worse than I thought. even though I'm parked like 10 yards away I'm DRENCHED by the time I get to the car to the point my jeans look fresh from the washer wet. I go for an early dinner at my favorite chinese place while CVS fills my script.

Get to CVS it's a mad house. The storm knocked out the system and my stuff isn't ready.

By the time I get to Pittsburgh the flooding has started. I can't find my keys in my purse to give to the valet (he gave up and had me leave them in the car) and I scored the BEST room. I'm on the top floor with a view of the Point which is a Pittsburgh highlight.

I said I wasn't going to the mixer but I wanted my stuff for the convention tonight so I can plan for tomorrow (I think I'll be skipping some just so I can be fresh for MY presentation and I know it'll be a lot for me) I had to go into the mixer to get it and two gins and tonic jumped down my throat. Don't know how that happened.

At least my throat is less sore but my cough is making my hernia hurt.

Scroll to the end for pictures but first books!

What I Just Finished Reading:

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik.

We Can Never Leave - H.E. Edgmon

the flipside, a graphic novel

What I am Currently Reading:
Of Manners and Murder - historical mystery

Last Dance Before Dawn by Katharine Schellman which is the final book in the series...that I never read but didn't know that when I requested it on Netgalley so far so good set in a speakeasy

What I Plan to Read Next:
Under This Red Rock - need to finish this

Have the view from 24 floors up

the point

Da liberty bridge (that I was talking about)

When the sun came out just at sundown

Current Mood: sick
Current Music: NCIS

The last day of the conference was good, great even. There were two really fantastic work shops I can't wait to incorporate into my classes. I already sent Dad to Lowes for the dowel rods I'll need. Those who saw me hobbling around yesterday checked in with me today. Sometimes I forget what it's like to have supportive colleagues.

Everything is packed. I had planned to do something tomorrow but a) I'm tired b) everything in St Louis seems to close at 4 pm....and the two things I want to do aren't open until 10 or 11 so that's way later than I'd want to get started as it's 7 hours 15 minutes without stops or construction so yeah, I'll just get on the road. My reward for giving up on tourism is sleeping in a bit tomorrow.

I know a lot of HAPSters left today and the poor hotel staff were still on my floor cleaning rooms when I got in at 530. I said look I'm leaving tomorrow, just skip me after you hand me over a face towel and we'll call it even. They were very happy with that.

Still no book report for wednesday. I haven't finished squat and I don't think I reviewed anything I did read this month. Should be fun in June playing catch up.

Hopefully I'll have a quiet trip home.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Guy's Grocery Games

It's bad enough I had to get up early but around 520 AM I woke up swearing someone was in the hall pretending to be a neighing horse. I couldn't imagine WHY. Later at breakfast several others had also been awakened Apparently it was a bunch of police/ambulance sirens that my brain decided were horses. But since I woke up so early I forgot my cane.

I needed it. I'm getting VERY worried at this point as the numbness is getting worse and worse with exertion and better the moment I stop which sounds like claudication, an interupption in blood flow. I'm not sure what is going on but it's starting to scare me.

The workshops today were very good, some I can use and some that fascinated me like the fact that I missed that we've used CRSPR to 'cure' sickle cell. We'd learned that some sufferers have no symptoms and others do. The non symptomatic ones have a second mutation that keeps them producing fetal hemoglobin which doesn't sickle. They're using CRSPR to induce that mutation.

Also Door Dash why didn't I do this last year?!? Yeah I can't use it at home (nor need to) but it's been a god send with this increasing leg pain which I can't hobble safely 3 blocks for food. But tonight was a reminder. Another prof heard me and a third prof talking about going for viet namese food but missed me learning it's a lunch only place. She ordered without looking at location (I've been paranoid about that) and had to download uber to go get it. I'm like CANCEL it because it's a far ride. Even if you don't get your money back buying a second meal would be cheaper than that uber ride.

And I have a little fannish 50 for you. Not a full fanfic rec post BUT close. here is my

comment_bingo. I got a black out and there are SO many fandoms on this. You might be able to find something you'd like to read.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Castle

Ah open bars. It was a LONG day. So long. Good but long. The seminar speakers were very interesting, especially the bioarchaeology one and the migraine ones. The seminar part of this is now over. I didn't win a door prize, oh well.

Tomorrow (way too early) starts the workshop part of this. They are very much the more important part of this to me. It'll give me things I'll be excited to try in my classes (and I might actually do it though I tend to get all charged up and then by august have forgotten it all)

I did get a couple chances to talk to the professor who guided me around on my first year at my current uni (my second year of teaching) It was very nice getting to talk to her again.

After all that bad weather yesterday today was gorgeous. I took a small walk and that calzone place I doordashed was literally TWO doors down from here. Geez. fees well spent I guess. Had them again for lunch.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: beat bobby flay

So the library had a crafts night build your own Cemetarium terrarium so I signed up. It could have been better run. They had pizza but told us about it as we were all leaving because this whole thing took like a a half hour. In other words it's a shit ton easier to make a terrarium than I thought. (I wonder if she told them an hour and was WAY off).

I had the thought maybe if she said more about what we were doing...only she DID. It just really didn't take long. Everything was provided and to be honest I thought I was making like a fake flower sort of display under glass. Instead I made an obligation....

Not that I mind. I love plants. We used pothos plants for the living aspect of it, otherwise known as Devil's Ivy which is a far more delightful name for it. All you had to do was put some charcoal at the bottom to help control mold then put in some small stones for drainage. Next came potting soil (I do have pics might share them another time) and you wet that down.

We selected from types of moss to put in after rooting the Devil's Ivy and then a selection of DOllar Tree Halloween crap and another spritz of water and sealed it up. It got messed up on the drive but otherwise it's cute. I might have to try this with other plants. The Spruce has suggestions here.

So let's get to the fannish stuff. As most of my flist knows

fandomgiftbasket revealed over the weekend. You can see what I was gifted here. I got some cool icons that I won't be using any time soon since it's Halloween month and then nano but I WILL be using them in 2024!! Also have a cool story I'll be sharing again in the fandom round up.

And here is what I wrote in case someone would like to read them.

An Unhaunted Birthday The Owl House

Skinned Killjoys

The Almost Empty Nest The Owl House

Not a Normal Day at the Rink Yuri on Ice!/Miraculous Lady Bug

And since you asked here are my Tsubasacon pics or at least some of them

( cut for size )

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Location: Haunted Harmonies Mystery